Tuesday, May 25, 2010

Things I Have Been Observing This Past Week

The cow are in a particular bad area as can be seen here. The soil can only support mostly moss and Yellow Hawk eye weed but there is a little Bunch Grass and surpassingly Hairy Vetch which is a legume and fixes nitrogen from the air to the soil.

As can be seen here these mossy areas tend to be on the hillsides. This is from erosion when the field was crop farmed many years ago. Notice it is green in the hollows the grass grows better here do to more hummus in the topsoil. I have been moving the cows three times a day through this area. I want to keep the herd impact the same so I have kept the paddock the same size but move it three times to compensate for the lack of forage.

The green to the right in this photo is where I started the rotation two weeks ago it is amazing how fast it has come back even though It was grazed completely down to the dirt as can be seen in on the left.

One thing I have noticed is that the cows eating behavior has changed, they eat every thing in sight even the plants they normally avoided when I gave them a bigger area to graze. Also there is more manure being dropped in this poorer area then last year do to the cows eating every thing down to the dirt not just eating the choice morsels and then going to a better area and dropping their manure and urine in this good spot.

1 comment:

This is a great post! Poor is he who works with a negligent hand, But the hand of the diligent maketh rich.Keep it up brother!~Grace

I looked up the Def. of negligent: failing to take proper care in doing somethingand this is the def. for diligent:having or showing care and conscientiousness in one's work or duties you are very diligent and are a very good exsample to me. I am blessed to have you as my brother. I do not cease to thank God for you and praying for you. I love you

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About Me

I'm 23 years old, , seeking the truth and working quietly with my hands the thing that is good.I live at home on 20 acres of farm land in the marilla hills.A very scenic part of michigan in the manistee national forest. some of the hills rise 1100 ft. these provides excellent views from the top.